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Influenza Other Respir Viruses
. 2025 Apr;19(4):e70099.
doi: 10.1111/irv.70099. Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance Across New Zealand and Its Subantarctic Islands Detects H1N9 in Migratory Shorebirds, but Not 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1
Stephanie J Waller 1 , Janelle R Wierenga 1 , Lia Heremia 1 , Jessica A Darnley 1 , Isa de Vries 1 , Jeremy Dubrulle 1 , Zoe Robinson 1 , Allison K Miller 2 , Chris N Niebuhr 3 , David S Melville 4 , Rob Schuckard 5 , Phil F Battley 6 , Michelle Wille 7 8 , Ben Alai 9 , Rosalind Cole 9 , Jamie Cooper 9 , Ursula Ellenberg 10 11 12 , Graeme Elliott 9 , James Faulkner 9 , Johannes H Fischer 9 , Jim Fyfe 9 , Lance Hay 9 , David Houston 9 , Bianca C Keys 13 , Jenny Long 9 , Robin Long 14 , Thomas Mattern 11 12 13 14 , Hollie McGovern 9 , Lou McNutt 9 , Peter Moore 9 , Odin Neil 9 , Jake Osborne 9 , Anne-Sophie Pagé 9 , Kevin A Parker 15 , Mike Perry 9 , Brodie Philp 9 , Julia Reid 9 , Kalinka Rexer-Huber 16 , James C Russell 17 , Rachael Sagar 9 , Thor T Ruru 9 14 , Theo Thompson 9 , Leith Thomson 9 , Joris Tinnemans 9 , Lydia Uddstrom 9 , Te Arawhetu Waipoua 9 10 , Kath Walker 9 , Edin Whitehead 16 18 , Chrissy Wickes 9 , Melanie J Young 9 , Kate McInnes 9 , David Winter 19 , Jemma L Geoghegan 1
Affiliations
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 has never been detected in New Zealand. The potential impact of this virus on New Zealand's wild birds would be catastrophic. To expand our knowledge of avian influenza viruses across New Zealand, we sampled wild aquatic birds from New Zealand, its outer islands and its subantarctic territories. Metatranscriptomic analysis of 700 individuals spanning 33 species revealed no detection of H5N1 during the annual 2023-2024 migration. A single detection of H1N9 in red knots (Calidris canutus) was noted. This study provides a baseline for expanding avian influenza virus monitoring in New Zealand.
Keywords: 2.3.4.4b HPAI; H1N9; H5N1; New Zealand; avian influenza virus; subantarctic islands; surveillance.
. 2025 Apr;19(4):e70099.
doi: 10.1111/irv.70099. Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance Across New Zealand and Its Subantarctic Islands Detects H1N9 in Migratory Shorebirds, but Not 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1
Stephanie J Waller 1 , Janelle R Wierenga 1 , Lia Heremia 1 , Jessica A Darnley 1 , Isa de Vries 1 , Jeremy Dubrulle 1 , Zoe Robinson 1 , Allison K Miller 2 , Chris N Niebuhr 3 , David S Melville 4 , Rob Schuckard 5 , Phil F Battley 6 , Michelle Wille 7 8 , Ben Alai 9 , Rosalind Cole 9 , Jamie Cooper 9 , Ursula Ellenberg 10 11 12 , Graeme Elliott 9 , James Faulkner 9 , Johannes H Fischer 9 , Jim Fyfe 9 , Lance Hay 9 , David Houston 9 , Bianca C Keys 13 , Jenny Long 9 , Robin Long 14 , Thomas Mattern 11 12 13 14 , Hollie McGovern 9 , Lou McNutt 9 , Peter Moore 9 , Odin Neil 9 , Jake Osborne 9 , Anne-Sophie Pagé 9 , Kevin A Parker 15 , Mike Perry 9 , Brodie Philp 9 , Julia Reid 9 , Kalinka Rexer-Huber 16 , James C Russell 17 , Rachael Sagar 9 , Thor T Ruru 9 14 , Theo Thompson 9 , Leith Thomson 9 , Joris Tinnemans 9 , Lydia Uddstrom 9 , Te Arawhetu Waipoua 9 10 , Kath Walker 9 , Edin Whitehead 16 18 , Chrissy Wickes 9 , Melanie J Young 9 , Kate McInnes 9 , David Winter 19 , Jemma L Geoghegan 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 40148670
- DOI: 10.1111/irv.70099
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 has never been detected in New Zealand. The potential impact of this virus on New Zealand's wild birds would be catastrophic. To expand our knowledge of avian influenza viruses across New Zealand, we sampled wild aquatic birds from New Zealand, its outer islands and its subantarctic territories. Metatranscriptomic analysis of 700 individuals spanning 33 species revealed no detection of H5N1 during the annual 2023-2024 migration. A single detection of H1N9 in red knots (Calidris canutus) was noted. This study provides a baseline for expanding avian influenza virus monitoring in New Zealand.
Keywords: 2.3.4.4b HPAI; H1N9; H5N1; New Zealand; avian influenza virus; subantarctic islands; surveillance.